Cast iron is very popular to cook with and a treasured item in any one's kitchen. One of the most popular pieces in today's kitchen is vintage cast iron cookware. More people are drawn to the smoothed surface and lighter in weight cast iron skillet.
In my collection, I'm very partial to vintage cast iron cookware as well. Anytime I'm out looking for vintage cast iron cookware, I always hit the local estate sales around my area. One of the sites I like to visit is Estatesales.net. Estate sales are the absolute best place to find vintage cast iron cookware. Antique malls are another good option, but they are very over priced.
In the last couple of years, I've found more cast iron located at estates in the country and small town cities, not the marvelous mansion you'll find in the bigger cities. These are the target areas that you will need to zero in scavenging for vintage cast iron.
Most often I can find cast iron at estate sales for ten dollars or less. However, be prepared in finding very cruddy looking cast iron. You're not going to find cast iron in marvelous condition. Knowing how to properly restore cast iron is key to your cast iron collection! You can visit here, to learn how to use lye to properly clean your cast iron.
At estate sales, I've found some very gross cast iron for just a couple of dollars. When you find these pans, you will need to make sure that you want to spend the amount of time it takes to properly restore the pan. Some pans may surprise you and you'll end up with a hellish nightmare of a restoration job! I've been in that situation before, and it isn't fun!
Also, the best time to look for cast iron pans at estate sales are on Saturdays. Most sales cut their prices in half on their last day. I've walked out of an estate sale with cast iron for two dollars a piece!
You can follow me on Facebook, to see my latest cast iron restoration projects.
